Althea M. (althea) reviewed on 9/11/2008 + 774 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Non-fiction book on pirates. Cordingly does a good job of showing that although the reality of pirate life was not as benign or romantic as today's consumer of piratical historical fictions would like to think, the truth is just as fascinating and interesting as the fiction.

The book is well-researched, careful to state what is known, what is not known, and what is simply not likely. Adequate footnotes are given for all sources. (And unreliable sources are diligently explained to be such.) Chock-full of interesting facts and anecdotes; worth reading for anyone interested in finding out some of the truths behind the pirate mythos.

However, the topics are somewhat oddly divided into thematic chapters, each of which reads somewhat like a research term paper for a history class - not the most smooth or evocative prose I've ever read!

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